Sum 41... One of my favourite pop punk bands. Their second effort, All Killer No Filler, doesn't quite live up to the name, but it gives a pretty good job. It is a marked improvement on the Half Hour Of Power, and in my opinion, Sum 41's best album. Catchy, politcal lyrics, simple, but effective guitar riffs, and thrashing drum beats are the generally what the album is, but I still find it catchy.
As I said, the album isn't quite 'All Killer No Filler'.
All She's Got,
Summer, and
Crazy Amanda Bunkface aren't quite up to par with the rest of the album in my opinion. I think that they're just too plain, and the instrumentation isn't quite as effective. That being said, these three songs are still fit for a casual listen, and I'd still recommend them to any pop punk fan.
Generally the lyrics are good on this album. They are definitely catchy, usually either politically driven or rebellious, and the delivery is, in most cases, very well done.
Rhythms, and
Motivation show Deryck's talent, as he sings pretty much throughout the songs. He does this comfortably, and make the lyrics seem catchier than they are. The backing vocals in
Fat Lip are also very well done, especially the beginning of the second verse, where four different voices say 'Be-Cause-You-Don't'. I find them a nice bit of variety, and they just add to the catchiness!
The guitar work is generally simple riffs, laying a platform for the drums and vocals.
Fat Lip,
In Too Deep, and
Nothing On My Back are a couple of the songs where the guitars play more of a role. There isn't much I can say about the bass, it's not often heard, but there are moments, like the intro to
In Too Deep. The drumming is also generally pretty simple; mainly playing thrash lines or standard rock beats. The riff in
Fat Lip is a bit more complicated than those from other songs, but it still just fits in and lays a platform for the vocals.
In Too Deep is different from most of the other songs. It starts with a nice, melodic guitar and bass line, which continues through the first verse, but then the drums start thrashing, and a heavier electric comes in, and the chorus begins. I like the introduction to the song, but then it just becomes like any other Sum song, basic guitar riff, thrashing drums, vocals doing most of it.
In conclusion, I'd say that although most of the songs sound alike, All Killer No Filler is still a superb album, worthy of 4.5/5. The songs are always catchy, and never cease to get me singing along.
Pros:
-Always catchy and singable
-Fat Lip, Handle This
Cons:
-Perhaps not enough variety of song type
PS. Some tips on review-writing pleease!
